Tag: Vinny Testaverde

TOJ would like to welcome another new writer to our staff, Rob Celletti…weclome aboard! – JC

Some people love to watch players like Ray Lewis and Troy Polamalu lay out an unsuspecting wide receiver, others love the rush of a long kickoff return by Brad Smith. Me? I always watch the quarterback.

I don’t just watch the quarterback when a play starts. I watch the quarterback warm up. I watch his interactions with coaches and other players. I watch his mannerisms in the huddle. If I’m lucky to be at the game, I try to read the defense along with him (not hard from row 23 of section 317 in the New Meadowlands, from which the game looks like a Google Maps satellite photo).

In my first article here at TOJ, I will look at the Jets quarterbacks that I have watched during my two decades as a fan. No, the Jets have not been blessed with an all-time great quarterback since Joe Namath. Yet, there have been bright spots sprinkled among some ugly seasons. So here they are: the Jets quarterbacks, from 1993-2010, in reverse chronological order* –

*This list only includes primary starters and completely disavows the existence of Brett Favre and the 2008 season, the year that made me believe I was going to give up on this team for life.

Mark Sanchez (2009 – present)

What you love: From a technical standpoint, Sanchez is relatively gifted. He doesn’t have the biggest arm but makes up for that with his ability to scramble, improvise and make a big play out of nothing. He’s a smart kid with the right demeanor for New York and a great work ethic, but the most important thing is his ability to perform in a big spot. Just take a look at the playoff statistics (all road games).

What you hate: Sanchez has problems with accuracy and decision-making, and the numbers bear that out. He’s completed less than 55% of his passes and thrown 33 interceptions through his first two full seasons. Though I don’t want to get into the “body language” discussion, it’s pretty clear that when things go bad for Sanchez, they can snowball rapidly. He allows his bad throws to turn into bad quarters and his bad quarters to turn into bad games.

Best season2010 – Led the Jets to an 11-5 regular season record and a second consecutive AFC Championship Game. Threw for 3,291 yards, 17 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. He led the Jets on three consecutive game-winning drives in the 4th quarter/overtime in weeks 9-11.

Worst season: 2009 – Sanchez’s rookie campaign was wildly inconsistent. He gave fans everything from his inspiring debut vs. the Texans to the infamous color-coded wristband. Still, Sanchez showed he could compete at the NFL level and win road playoff games.

Chad Pennington (2002 – 2007)

What you loved: Did anyone get more of a kick out of proving people wrong than Chad Pennington? He was such a fierce competitor and leader, which is what ultimately made the Pennington story so difficult to swallow for so many Jets fans. With an average-at-best arm battered by numerous injuries, Pennington kept coming back. What made that possible? His football acumen. Outside of Peyton Manning, I don’t believe there was a smarter quarterback in the league during Chad’s time. Also, did anyone throw a better fade route from the half-yard line? I kid, but Pennington was arguably (and actually IS, statistically speaking) the most accurate Jets passer of all time.

What you hated: The injuries. Pennington just couldn’t stay healthy, to the point that it became sort of laughable. The end of Pennington’s Jets career was particularly painful and unjust, as he was released so the Jets could sign Brett Favre. Of course, Chad had his revenge, leading the Dolphins to the AFC East Championship in 2008, clinching the crown against the Jets at the Meadowlands.

Best season: 2002 – Pennington burst onto the scene in relief of the aging and ineffective Vinny Testaverde. He took over a floundering 1-3 team, and even though he lost his first start, rallied the Jets to a 9-7 record and an AFC East Championship (thank you Travis Minor). The numbers were mind-boggling (in 12 starts): 3,120 yards, 22 touchdowns, 6 interceptions, a completion percentage of 68.9% and a passer rating of 104.2 (both Jets’ single-season records).

Worst season: 2007 – For the most part, the Jets had successful seasons when Pennington was healthy, but that was always the problem, wasn’t it? 2007 was the beginning of the end. Kellen Clemens took most of the snaps as the year progressed, as the Jets were just 1-7 in Pennington’s starts and finished an abysmal 4-12.

Vinny Testaverde (1998 – 2003)

What you loved: Being born in Brooklyn didn’t hurt him, but Vinny is one of the most beloved Jets of all time. He was a classic pocket passer with a cannon of an arm.

What you hated: Vinny was notorious for his killer interceptions and fumbles. For his career, Testaverde threw 275 touchdowns, but also 267 interceptions, many of them complete head-scratchers that cost his team games.

Best season: 1998 – Bill Parcells acquired the 35 year-old Vinny and taught the old dog some new tricks, turning him into an efficient, nearly turnover-free machine. He threw for a single-season Jets record 29 touchdowns and completed nearly 62% of his passes. Testaverde led the Jets to a 12-4 record, the AFC Championship game, and was selected to the Pro Bowl.

Worst season: 2000 – After rupturing his Achilles Tendon in 1999, shattering the Jets’ momentum coming off one of the best seasons in team history, Vinny came back at age 37 and put together some respectable games in leading the Jets to a 9-4 record after 14 weeks. But it’s hard to forget how this year ended, in complete and utter heartbreak, with three consecutive losses to the Raiders, Lions (at home) and Ravens. That loss to the Ravens, on Christmas Eve, is one of the all-time great Jet collapses, largely due to Testaverde’s implosion, in which he threw 3 interceptions and lost two fumbles.

Neil O’Donnell (1996 – 1997)

What you loved: I’ll abstain.

What you hated: Everything?

Best season: 1997 – It’s easy to focus on the negative with O’Donnell, but when Bill Parcells became the Jets’ coach, he coaxed a decent season out of his quarterback, by mostly keeping him on a short leash. If nothing else, O’Donnell stopped turning the ball over (just 7 interceptions in 460 attempts). The Jets were one win away from the playoffs after going 1-15 in the previous season.

Worst season: 1996 – Started 6 games, lost all 6 and was benched in favor of Frank Reich after an “injury” during pre-game warmups. The Jets were on their way to an infamous 1-15 season.

Boomer Esiason (1993 – 1995)

What you loved: Long Island born and bred, Boomer came home to play for the Jets after Cincinnati traded him for a third round pick. Boomer was the consummate professional and deserved better during his time in New York, as he played under three different coaches during the end of the Hess ownership.

What you hated: Though Boomer was more a victim of circumstance and suspect coaching under Bruce Coslet, Pete Carroll and Rich Kotite, he was never the All-Pro quarterback for the Jets that he was in Cincinnati. As a matter of fact, the Jets had two chances to make the playoffs with Esiason at the helm in 1993 and 1994, but their offense was downright anemic at the end of both seasons.

Best season: 1993 – Boomer made the Pro Bowl in his first year as a Jet, throwing for 3,421 yards and 16 touchdowns (the NFL was a different animal back then). The Jets finished with an 8-8 record, and even though the offense sputtered down the stretch, fans were optimistic, at least about the quarterback position.

Worst season: 1995 – Boomer went down with a major concussion and missed four games, but that’s not what sunk the Jets to 3-13 in 1995. The aging Esiason completed just 56.8% of his passes, was intercepted 15 times, and had nearly a career-low 5.8 yards-per-attempt. The Jets record was 2-10 in the games he started.

It’s been a roller coaster ride for Jets fans in terms of quarterbacks throughout the last two decades. Mark Sanchez has a few things on his side that none of his predecessors did, namely his youth and a stable coaching staff/front office/ownership situation which fully supports him. It’s now up to Sanchez and the Jets to build on the experience from his first two seasons and translate that into consistency, more wins, and a Super Bowl.

1. There isn’t much to update, so check out the facebook page to see other recent Jets links you should be reading/viewing. Also, don’t forget about the other sections we have across the top of the page, including the new 2010 Draft Section.

2. Non-Jets Thoughts – Good new show on HBO, “How to Make it in America”…I am fired up about seeing “Shutter Island” this week, you can’t go wrong with Scorsese and Leo…Tough start for Antawan Jamison with the Cavs last night, I think he went 0/12 from the field, I like Jamison but I need to root for the Cavs to struggle so LeBron is more inclined to come to the Knicks…Could Tiger Woods have been more robotic during that press conference the other day?

Big Expectations Usually Equal Bad News For Jets

The Jets rightly will have alot of positive buzz around their team heading into the 2010-2011 season. They are coming off a surprising run to the AFC Championship Game, have a young up and coming offense led by Mark Sanchez, Nick Mangold, and Shonn Greene, arguably the league’s best defense, and a coach the team believes in. I wouldn’t be surprised if most people picked them to win the AFC East and some people pick them as legit Super Bowl contenders this summer. Unfortunately, when this has happened in recent history, things haven’t turned out according to plan.

1999 – Most people assumed the Jets would take the next step after losing to Denver in the AFC Championship Game in 1998 and become the team to beat in the AFC after John Elway’s retirement. All of the pieces seemed to be in place, but in week one Vinny Testaverde took one step to try and recover a fumble, and tore his ACL. The Jets season went down in flames with Rick Mirer behind center, until Ray Lucas stepped and led them to a respectable 8-8 record. Regardless, the season was a major disappointment and the final year for Bill Parcells.

2002 – The Jets were coming of a 10-6 season and a wild-card loss. If I recall correctly, many people thought the Jets would improve and challenge for a division title and after a 2-5 start, they actually turned out to be right as Chad Pennington took over mid-season for Testaverde and led the Jets to an improbable 9-7 AFC East crown. Despite finishing a game worse in the regular season, the Jets won the division and won a wild-card game, before eventually seeing their season end at the hands of the Oakland Raiders 30-10.

2003 – Everybody was fired up to see Pennington lead the Jets for an entire season and thought the Jets could overcome the loss of Laveranues Coles, Chad Morton, Randy Thomas, and John Hall to the Redskins. Unfortunately, Pennington was hurt in the pre-season, and the Jets stumbled to a 0-4 start. They improved after Chad’s return in week 8 but still finished a disappointing 6-10.

2005 – After being robbed of a Divisional Round win against the Steelers by kicker Doug Brien, the Jets and many people around the NFL figured they would be Super Bowl contenders simply by replacing Brien with 2nd round (yes, 2nd round) draft pick Mike Nugent. The Jets also foolishly traded their first round pick for tight end Doug Jolley. Shockingly enough, Pennington suffered another injury, this time in week 3. The Jets floundered to a 4-12 record, with Brooks Bollinger playing quarterback for the bulk of the season.

2007 – Eric Mangini and the Jets shocked everyone in 2006 by going 10-6 and grabbing a wild-card spot. Most people figured they would be ready to challenge the Patriots for the division title in 2007, especially with the addition of Thomas Jones at running back. Guess what happened? Pennington was hurt in week one, and then after returning in week 3 struggled before being benched for Kellen Clemens. The Jets went 4-12.

2008 – I think most people thought the Jets should be a playoff team with the additions of Alan Faneca, Calvin Pace, Damien Woody, Kris Jenkins, Tony Richardson, and of course Brett Favre. It looked like they were right when the Jets were 8-3, but we all know how the rest of the season turned out.

What can I say about 2010? Stay healthy, Mark Sanchez. As for the rest of the team, don’t read your press clippings.